1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to rail systems and X-ray imaging apparatuses using the same and, more particularly, to a rail system for medical X-ray imaging apparatuses which are used in hospitals in order to image patient's bodies, and an X-ray imaging apparatus using the rail system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known to those skilled in the art, when high-speed electrons strike a solid target, electromagnetic waves having high penetration are produced. These electromagnetic waves are called X-rays.
The discovery of the X-ray having deep penetration made it possible to observe the interior of a human body without opening up the body, thus greatly contributing to the development of medical science.
That is, before the discovery of the X-ray, conditions of internal organs or bones of a human body could not be observed simply from the outward appearance. Therefore, when the human body showed abnormal symptoms, the human body had to be opened up to determine with the naked eye whether it was normal or not.
Since discovery of the X-ray by Roentgen and its use in the medical profession, whether a patient's body is normal or not can be determined by X-ray imaging without the opening up of the body as was conducted before the discovery of the X-ray. Hence, it became easy to conduct medical treatment or examination of the patient.
However, in the conventional art, when installing a medical X-ray imaging apparatus, there is a spatial limitation. In detail, to date, in the case of the conventional rail system which has been generally used, a rail along which a tube stand moves is provided under a ceiling, and a detector is installed below the rail. In this case, several detectors may be provided, so that the apparatus can be used in various positions. However, there is a disadvantageous in that the height of the ceiling must range between from 2700 mm to 2800 mm. Furthermore, the installation of the tube stand under the ceiling requires separate rail installation work that must tear off the ceiling. The work of installing the tube stand on the rail provided under the ceiling increases the installation cost. As well, in the case of medium and small hospitals having relatively small spaces, installation of the X-ray imaging apparatus may be impossible.
Meanwhile, in the case of a structure in which a detector is perpendicularly connected to a detector stand, in order to set the detector and an X-ray generating unit such that the centers thereof are exactly aligned with each other to generate an image correctly, a tube stand must be disposed right above the upper end of the detector stand. Therefore, in the same manner as the structure in which the rail is provided under the ceiling, the ceiling of an installation room must be more than 2700 mm high. In addition, in this structure, the X-ray imaging apparatus cannot be implemented by using a single rail, and at least two rails are necessary. This increases the installation cost. Moreover, because two or more rails are provided on opposite sides of a table on which a patient lies for X-ray imaging, there is a problem in that movement of the table is greatly limited.